The National tribune., 1887-06-30
BY FIRE And FLOOD.
The Awful Disaster TO the Steamer
Sultana,
BY Which 100 Ex-Prisoners
OF War Lost Their Lives.
BY J. WALTER ELLIOTT. CAPTAIN, CO. y, 44TH
u. s G. T, ARAB, ALA.

BY J. WALTER ELLIOTT, CAPTAIN, co. Y, 44TH
u. c. T., ARAB, ALA.
The explosion OF the steamer Sultaua's boilers
Is perhaps the most remarkable calamity in the
record of western navigation. aud had il oc-
Cured at any other time would have made the
most indelble aud appalling impression on the
minds OF the whole American people ever pro-
duced by any disaster in our land. lnsatlate
war had robbed the cradle and the grave
throughout this whole Southland, while in
almost every Northern home there was a vacant
chair. aud dirges of the pine aud cypress min
gled with tears shed at the family altar. Apo
mattox had produced a scene the most signih-
cant in all the annals OF war for the chivalrous
manner in which the capitulation was made
and received. Aud now the whole civilized
world stood awe-Struck Rt the assassination Of
him who could have done more than all
others 10 bind up and heal the country'S bleed
ing wounds.
Twenty-Five hundred mon, who had been
languishing in Southern prisons littlo hoping
10 ever reach home again, aud who had been
mourned as dead. had been restored from the
grave had written home from Vicksbnrg, and
were buoyant with high hopes of a speedy re-
union with friends. But, alas! |" In the midst
of life we are in death" At the hour of 2
o'clock on the morning of April 20. ls65, seven
miles above Memphis, while running at full
speed in the channel, while the :, 800 human
brings on board were sweetly dreaming of
home, the Sultana
EXPLODED HER ROLLERS,
cutting the cabin. hurrcane-deck and texas in
twain; then took fire, and in 10 or l5 minutes
burned all except the hull. which dritted down
aud lodged on a towhead, with some 60 persons
hanging 10 the hogchsins for life.
/ have seen Deaths carnival in the yellow
fever and the cholera-stricken city, on the en-
ssnguined field, in hospital and prison, and on
the raid; / have, with wife aud children cling
ing in terror 10 my knees, wreStled with the
midnight cyclone; but the most horrible Of all
were the sights aud sounds of that hour. The
prayers. shrieks and groans OF strong men and
helpless women and children are still ringing
in my ears. aud the remembrance makes me
shudder. The sight OF 1000 ghOstly, pallid
faces upturned in the chilling waters of the
Mississippi, as looked down on them from the
boat, is picture that hauuts me in my dreams
But TO the narrative. Where shall begin
Memory, with faultleSs faithfulnesS. reproduces
q thousand pictures Of the dark days of the
Winter OF '64-5.
Captured and paroled in October; ordered
on duty without exchange, and again captured
while trying 10 steal through Hoods lines at
Nashville on Dec. 2, 1864, knew full well that
q recognition would be swiftly followed by a
drumhead court-mar;ial aud my execution.
Therefore / assumed the name and command
of one Capt David T. Elliott. of Go. L, 18th
Ind, who | knew was with Sherman on his
march TO the Sea. aud never until had shaken
the dust Of the Confederacy from my feet did
! disclose my identity 10 friend or foe-and
the 90 autograph albums gotten up by my COM
panions in Castle Reed will attest t.
Shall i tell of the march over ice and snow I;
the wading of deep streams from Nashville TO
Dixon. two miles below Cherokee, on the Mem
phis & Charleston Railroad; the suffering from
cold and exposure in tho dead of Winter. and
from hunger, when bought bushel of corn
meal for
THIRTY-Two DOLLARS IN GREESBACRs,
and then eating not half what / craycd. but
dividing with my fellows; Of seeing wagon
load of corn in the ear, driven into the prison.
corral and thrown out to US as though We were
"A lot of fattening hogs; of the number OF dead
We left on the ground next morning, killed by
eating raw corn after four days fast; OF my
confinement, without food, for day aud night
in a close, crowded box-car, in which fresh
horse dung was half foot deep; of the inGig-
mites, the humiliations aud cruelties heaped
upon rs by towards playing Provost Marshal (;
of our sojourn at Cahaba, Ala; Of our removal
from that purgatory 10 that he'll Of hells at An
dersonvile, presided over aud improved upon
daily by his Satanic Majesty's most loyal rep
resentative on earth, Capt. Wirz. ably assisted
by his brothers Of royal blood. who were ken
nelled, fed and guarded by one Of the G. 5. A. s
most trusty Lieutenants. with picked COM
mand, scarcely second 10 the historic Old Guard
Oh the long and dreary Winter in prison; the
su iIering from cold hunger. and the petty tyTan-
ny OF towards clothed with a little brief au-
thority; the stencil of rotten meat Of which
We had not half enough 10 eat; the bitter, bit
ter feeling that our country had abandoned us
TO our fate,
REFUSING TO EXCHANGE
because IL would be exchanging able-bOdied
soldiers for Us, who were starved until we could
be Of no service! With what deep pathos ",
often In concert sang the Crimean Prison song
We have met meath the bending rafter,
The wallis around are bare.
But from the peals Of laughter,
You would not think the dead were there.
| CHORUS.
Then stand TO your glasses steady,
This world 10 "A world of signs.
| Here's n glass TO the dead already.
| HuIrab for the neIt nau that dies-
Forsaken by the land which bore us.
Betrayed by the ind.
| Tie weak ones have gone before us,
We. the stronger, are left behind.
How, day by day, through long weary weeks
each Of us watched his fellows slowly bu
surely starving 10 death, and already mouraec
as dead by fond loved ones at home. Get
ready for exchange" came the order. Oh th,
Joyous shout that made the castle walls rms
out How each of US laughed and cried
shook hands with and hugged his fellows, and
! joining hands in circle, in good old Metho
dist campmeeting- altar tyle rs We all Joined IL
singing Rally Round the Flag, Boys" Th,
Joy Of that good hour more than repaid for al
| past tribuations.
Sixty-five officers formed in line awaitin,
| orders Behold death on pale horse" say
that grand old soldier, Gen. Noble, of Bridge
port, Conn, as Capt. WirZ enters the stOckad
| on a white pony. At the cars we Joined SOM
| 500 priYates from the stOekade aud "A NOR
pitiable sight city life in its worse phases neyc
disclosed. All were
BEGRIMED AND BLAcKESED
by exposure, without pretense Of protectio
from Summers sun or Winters rain; all weal
and lean from starvation; many, too feeble I
take care Of themselves were literally incase
in scales, beneath which were myriads Of livin
vermin eating all vitality away. Two / IA,
doubled up and SCARED all over, having bee
literally torn in pieces by the dogs, becaus
they attempted TO escape from the DEVILS Dc
main.
We left good many poor fellows dead alon
our entire route. Thrice derailed. twi,
VIC had two cars wrecked. Gripping a goo
number Of the boys. On March 26 we halle
the glorious flag Of our country AS il fioated O
the breeze. Tears flowed at sight Of that prou
emblem. while Big Black River, Jordan-lik,
divided the forlorn &. s. A. from cur Canaan
We crossed; We gathered at the river: we san
aud danced aud rested under the shade of oh
trees. Out from the gates of hell-Out froi
\ q - a.,fA A.a.sl -.